only a guess mind, probably under the public order health and safety act...or sommat like that...
In that case if everyone wears hard hats and hi viz jackets they can't shut the boozers
just a thought...
(ps..plus the cops would not be able to tell if you were a football fan or construction worker)
Sat morning stir headlines....
"Last night 10,000 boozy construction workers rioted on london road...."
a police spokesman said,
"we had to open the pubs as they wern't footie fans, I don't know what happened, we were expecting bill swilling baby and granny bashing louts not construction workers, one of our officers went to move a safety barrier and they all went ape shit shouting thats not your job, when one of my officers picked a brick up off the road all hell broke loose...
he got wacked with a spirit level, another was attacked with a set square..."
Hope that helps....